ALBANY, Ga. - On Wednesday, the case of The Federal Trade Commission against Phoebe Putney Health System will be heard in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta in regards to Phoebe's potential purchase of Palmyra Medical Center.

The appeal hearing follows a ruling that came down by U.S. District Court Judge Louis Sands on June 27 stating that the Hospital Authority of Albany-Dougherty County was entitled to immunity from federal antitrust laws in its plan to purchase Palmyra.

In July, the FTC filed a brief with the Court stating its contentions that Phoebe, not the authority, is the one with leverage in Albany over people and that any statement to the contrary by Phoebe is merely a "smokescreen."

Since then, officials at Phoebe have maintained that the agency's intervention in the acquisition is misplaced.

Comments

The local judges do not have a very good track-record on cases involving Phoebe (see S Goss and the CON issue). When this District Court ruling is overturned (and, it should be), maybe, just maybe, Phoebe's lust for power will be dampened just a bit...naw, wishful thinking.